


Sore Loser

by journeycat



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Protector of the Small - Tamora Pierce, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: F/M, Older Man/Younger Woman, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-20 07:14:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4778312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/journeycat/pseuds/journeycat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Faleron is as confused at Kel's choice of man as the rest of Tortall.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sore Loser

**Author's Note:**

> Written for SMACKDOWN: Team Faleron at Goldenlake in March 2010.

It was scandalous, repulsive, totally shocking, and it was very obvious that it galled Faleron so deep that his very bones ached with his furious disgust.

“How can this happen?” he fumed one night, finally snapping. 

He shoved his chair away from the table, upsetting the chess pieces. They clattered off the board. Merric sighed, watching his cousin begin to pace a furrow in his wood floor. He knelt under the table to pick up a few stray pawns.

“How can what happen?” he said without much interest. They had had this conversation about once a day for several weeks now and he was old hat at it by now.

“This,” Faleron said loudly, gesturing at nothing. “Kel and, and— _Lindhall_.”

“What of it?”

“It’s strange, that’s what! He’s old and decrepit and utterly uncanny.”

Merric resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He had a feeling it would not be appreciated. “Fal,” he began with every bit of patience he possessed, which, indeed, wasn’t much, “Lindhall Reed is not that old, and he’s hardly decrepit, and he’s no more uncanny than any other mage. You liked him just fine when you were a page.”

“Well, sure,” Faleron said, “but that was before he was taking advantage of a young girl!”

Merric raised dubious eyebrows, taking discreet liberties as he arranged the chess pieces back to their original positions. “I doubt Kel will take too kindly to you suggesting she’s incapable of taking care of herself,” he said mildly. “She’s happy. She likes him. And he treats her very well.”

“That’s—that’s—”

“That’s what? Ridiculous? Is there another reason Kel and Lindhall shouldn’t be together?”

Faleron opened his mouth and then closed it, glaring at him balefully. Merric felt confident that this conversation was effectively ended—that stubborn cousin of his wouldn’t admit his feelings for anything, especially now that he lost to a man he didn’t even consider competition.

“Now then,” he said comfortably, knocking over the opposing queen. “Checkmate.”


End file.
